一物降一物
yī wù xiáng yī wù
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1 lit. one object bests another object
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2 every item has a weakness (idiom)
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3 there is a rock to every scissor, a scissor to every paper, and a paper to every rock
三旬九食
sān xún jiǔ shí
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1 lit. to have only nine meals in thirty days (idiom)
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2 fig. (of a family) on the brink of starvation
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3 in dire straits
人为刀俎,我为鱼肉
rén wéi dāo zǔ , wǒ wéi yú ròu
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1 lit. to be the meat on sb's chopping block (idiom)
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2 fig. to be at sb's mercy
人为财死,鸟为食亡
rén wèi cái sǐ , niǎo wèi shí wáng
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1 lit. human beings will die for riches, just as birds will for food (idiom)
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2 fig. man will do anything in his means to become rich
仁民爱物
rén mín ài wù
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1 love to all creatures (idiom, from Mencius); universal benevolence
价廉物美
jià lián wù měi
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1 inexpensive and of good quality (idiom)
包子有肉不在褶上
bāo zi yǒu ròu bù zài zhě shàng
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1 a book is not judged by its cover (idiom)
博物洽闻
bó wù qià wén
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1 to have a wide knowledge of many subjects (idiom)
厚德载物
hòu dé zài wù
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1 with great virtue one can take charge of the world (idiom)
囊中取物
náng zhōng qǔ wù
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1 as easy as reaching for it from a bag (idiom)
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2 in the bag
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3 (as good as) in one's possession
因噎废食
yīn yē fèi shí
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1 lit. not eating for fear of choking (idiom); fig. to cut off one's nose to spite one's face
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2 to avoid sth essential because of a slight risk
地大物博
dì dà wù bó
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1 vast territory with abundant resources (idiom)
天低吴楚,眼空无物
tiān dī Wú Chǔ , yǎn kōng wú wù
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1 the sky hangs low over the Yangtze, empty as far as the eye can see (idiom); nothing to see to the broad horizon
宵衣旰食
xiāo yī gàn shí
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1 to dress before light and not eat before dark (idiom)
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2 diligently attending to official matters
寝食难安
qǐn shí nán ān
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1 lit. cannot rest or eat in peace (idiom)
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2 fig. extremely worried and troubled
废寝忘食
fèi qǐn wàng shí
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1 to neglect sleep and forget about food (idiom)
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2 to skip one's sleep and meals
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3 to be completely wrapped up in one's work
弱肉强食
ruò ròu qiáng shí
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1 lit. the weak are prey to the strong (idiom); fig. predatory behavior
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2 the law of the jungle
心惊肉跳
xīn jīng ròu tiào
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1 lit. heart alarmed, body leaping (idiom); fear and trepidation in the face of disaster
恃才傲物
shì cái ào wù
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1 to be inordinately proud of one's ability
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2 to be conceited and contemptuous (idiom)
情同骨肉
qíng tóng gǔ ròu
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1 as close as flesh and bones (idiom); deep friendship